In the field of telephony, it is known how to execute a client telephony application capable of managing a connectivity with a telephony server in order to offer a user communication/telephony services via peripheral input and output means. These services primarily concern voice and/or video calls. It is possible to secondarily add optional media services, such as short messages or SMS, instant messaging or IM, chatting, e-mail, music or MP3 playing, and video playing.
Currently, one such telephony application may be executed on an office telephony terminal. Such a terminal typically comprises a central processing unit (CPU), a display monitor, a keyboard, and an audio headset that comprises a speaker/earpiece and at least one microphone. Such a terminal, dedicated to the telephony application, has proven highly effective. However, such a terminal may become costly, particularly when it is advantageously equipped with high-quality interfaces (wide color screen, touchpad, number pad and alphanumeric keypad, large-band speaker, omnidirectional microphone, etc.) which limits the number of users who may be equipped with such a terminal. Additionally, such a terminal designed for the office does not allow for any mobility.
Such a telephony application may be executed on a computer, for example a portable one, which emulates, using standard peripherals, the specific peripherals of a telephone terminal, and particularly the keypad and audio handset. One drawback of such an approach is that the computer also executes other applications at the same time as the telephony application. In such a case, the computer's input and output means/peripherals are shared between the telephony application and the other applications. This way, in a conventional manner within a multiwindow operating system, one window is associated with the telephony application. This window is not necessarily always visible. Automatically making it visible during a phone call disrupts the desktop's organization and the running of other applications. Competing for access to the computer's input and output means causes a loss of efficiency, both for the telephony application and for the other applications.
It is conceivable to apply the invention to any type of preferential application that may benefit from reserving input or output peripherals. Thus, any application which, for efficiency reasons, can benefit from having dedicated input/output means, is a candidate to be a preferential application.
An intermediate solution is therefore sought, which would make it possible to avoid the drawbacks of these two approaches. The problem which the invention attempts to resolve is finding a solution that would make it possible to offer input and output means dedicated to a preferential application, though without making use of a dedicated terminal.
To do so, it should be noted that more and more users are equipped with portable computers that offer processing capabilities, human-machine interfaces, and mobility which improve day by day. This portable computer, which may be a notebook, a laptop, a subnotebook, or a mini-PC with a touchpad, offers ever-increasing processing capability in a constantly shrinking size. One benefit of this reduction in size is that it encourages mobility. One drawback of this reduction in size, however, is that it also reduces the size of the input and output means integrated into the portable computer, and thereby reduces ergonomics and work comfort for the user.
Thus, it is increasingly frequent, when the portable computer is in an office environment, to connect additional, more comfortable input means to it, such as a full-size keyboard, an additional output means, such as a full-size screen and/or a better-quality speaker system, in order to replicate the comfort of a desktop computer, in a mode that shall be termed “fixed” mode.
Otherwise, the input and output means integrated into the portable computer are only used when the portable computer is not on a desktop, and is in “mobile” mode.